Specs, Review and the Facts
Bigger screens are stil a trend and so Samsung scales up again and offers it’s first 64-inch Plasma HDTV, the PN64D8000. Last years models had a maximum of 63-inches, so this isn’t a big jump in size but a huge one in image quality. The D8000 series marks the top of the line and is stuffed with the best and latest Plasma television technology offers today.
Already out of the box, without any additional calibration, the image quality is stunning, especially the blacks are perfect. For some reason, they are even better than on smaller displays of the D8000 series, and even the Cinema Smooth (24 fps, 96hz mode) feature doesn’t influence them negatively. This is the first time I’d call black a real perfect black on a Plasma television. Other manufacturers like LG or Panasonic are offering Plasmas in the same size and price range, but none of them beats the quality of blacks on the new Samsung PN64D8000. The contrast ratio is a phenomenal 25,000,000:1, a big difference compared to older models.
The bezel is alot slimmer then last years models, thanks to the new “Samsung One” design. It’s still no borderless viewing experience, but the outer frame became very narrow, making this HDTV looking really stylish. The brushed metal titanium finish looks good, no idea why Samsung doesn’t offer any black versions of it’s new 2011 high end televisions, but it fits a home cinema with mostly black components nicely anyway.
Refresh rate and response time are typical for Plasma HDTVs, 600Hz and 0.001ms making this big home entertainment godzilla perfect for games as well. In general, it’s a much better choice than comparable LED televisions which already offer a good quality for a LCD screen but are still inferior compared to a top notch Plasma.
3D and the Smart TV features work as intended and are nice options for some occasions, for example if you want to watch Directv 3D channels. Almost a must have for a television of this size is a Blu-Ray player, Blu-Rays look simply amazing on the PN64D8000 and offer a true home cinema experience at it’s best. The whole package is completed by Samsungs new QWERTY touchscreen remote.
Last but not least, you get the connectivity you can expect from a HDTV in this league: 4 x HDMI v1.4 inputs, 2x USB 2.0, audio, digital audio, component, PC, basically everything you could ever need.
Overall Rating: 10/10. The Samsung PN64D8000 is a 64-inch plasma without any flaws, offering the best image quality you can get. We recommend buying it at Amazon since you’ll get free shipping, reliable and friendly customer service as well as a major discount compared to other online shops.
